Biography of 	Ellis, Crawford H.;  Selma, AL;  now Orleans Parish, Louisiana
Submitted by 	Mike Miller April 1998

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Ellis, Crawford H., manager of the United Fruit Co., is one of the most
prominent factors in the commercial life of the Southland.  Mr. Ellis is a
native Alabamian, in which state he was born at Selma, Aug. 26, 1873, the
son of Thomas Jefferson and Elizabeth (Hatcher) Ellis, both of whom came of
English ancestry, and was reared at Orrville, Ala., where the father has
merchandised for years and has also been actively engaged in cotton
planting.  His father was a Confederate soldier and served with gallantry
in Est Company F, 5th Alabama regiment.  At Mobile, Ala., he was captured
and was held prisoner at Ship island until the close of the war.  Crawford
H. Ellis received his preliminary education in the public schools of Selma,
Ala., and later (1892) graduated with honors in a business course at the
Kentucky university of Lexington.  At the age of 19 Mr. Ellis went to
Central America for the purpose of of associating himself with Orr and
Laubenheimer Co., who were operating steamers between Mobile and Nicaragua.
 This company was a pioneer in the banana trade and after 5 years in the
southern republic, during which time the banana trade began taking more
definite form, Mr. Ellis was transferred to Mobile to look after affairs of
the company there.  This transfer was made late in 1897, and he had charge
of the company's business at that place until 1898, or until he became
accountant for the Bluefield Steamship Co., which was incorporated in the
latter part of 1898.  Mr. Ellis came to New Orleans to serve in the
capacity of accountant, but it was not long before his merit won him a more
important position.  In Dec., 1899, he was made auditor for the United
Fruit Co., and at the age of 27 he was manager of the entire Southern
business of this corporation.  With headquarters at New Orleans, Mr. Ellis
has remained in this position and his management also includes the
direction of three separate lines of passenger and freight boats that ply
between the fruit countries of Latin America and Mobile, New Orleans and
Galveston.  Through his intimate knowledge of conditions in Latin America,
and the Spanish language, in which he is a fluent scholar, Mr. Ellis has
been able to conduct the fruit business in such a way as to be of great
assistance to the governments of the republics where the products are
grown.  At present he is directing the expenditure of $4,000,000 in
building new towns on the Honduran coast and a railroad to connect it with
Tegucigalpa, thus furnishing railroad connection to the sea for the only
American capital city not already enjoying that advantage.  To be able to
direct such a colossal undertaking and still find time for active work with
a large number of outside enterprises is a gauge of Mr. Ellis' commercial
capacity.  He is president of the Pan-American Life Insurance Co.; director
and member of the executive committee of the Whitney-Central National bank
and Whitney-Central Trust and Savings bank; director in the New Orleans &
Pacific R. R.  He is a trustee of the Louisiana state museum and was
president of the board of trade of New Orleans during 1909 and 1910, being
36 years old when first elected and after serving 2 terms declined
reelection for a third term because of the press of other business.  Mr.
Ellis served as colonel on the staff of Gov. J. Y. Sanders, of Louisiana,
and is now serving with the same rank on the staff of Gov. Luther E. Hall.
His principal recreations are automobiling, fishing and hunting.  He is a
member of the Boston, Pickwick, Southern Yacht, Country, Delta Duck, Young
Men's Gymnastic, and Motor League clubs.  Mr. Ellis married at Selma, Ala.,
April 24, 1895, Miss Inez Mollett Saffold, the marriage being blessed with
1 daughter,  Inez Lucille Ellis.  The family residence is at 1912 Palmer
avenue, New Orleans.

Source:  Louisiana:  Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events,
Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp.
150-151.  Edited by Alcee Fortier, Lit.D.  Published in 1914, by Century
Historical Association.